Chapter 15: The Obligatory Hot Springs Scene
A/N: Why fight over snacks that aren't there?
"You want me to what?"
"Watch over her while I'm gone," Jin repeated.
Malos arced a disbelieving eyebrow. "You really think that's a good idea? You know how she'll react when sees me, right?" He smirked. "Not that I'd blame her. Hell, it might even be an even fight with how I am now."
Jin glared at Malos' comment. "Don't you dare lay a finger on her."
"Relax," Malos drawled. "It was just a joke. But she's not some delicate Urayan noblewoman who'll keel over at the sight of me."
Jin's glare sharpened.
Malos rolled his eyes. "If you're really that worried, fine. I'll do it. She won't need it, or appreciate it."
"I know, but…thank you."
"Yeah, whatever. Just remember, this isn't going to last. Our goal - I doubt she'll agree, Jin. You can't have both. Sooner or later, you're going to have to choose."
Speaking not a word, Jin walked across the docking ramp to the Monoceros. He trusted Malos to keep his word.
She wasn't here.
Gone.
Even before Jin finished docking, something in him just knew.
The docking ramp finally lowered and - her heart thumping in his chest - he intended to immediately check the regeneration chamber where Lora had been recovering, even if he already knew the answer.
Especially with a theatrically wide smile in his way.
"Welcome back, Jin." Stepping off the docking ramp, Jin frowned as Ahkos threw his arms up wide in greeting, but also clearly there to bar the way and stall. "I'm glad to see you're still in one piece. I was afraid that you'd be distracted and get careless, but it seems you fared-"
"Where is she?" He cut off the potential beginnings of a monologue. Other times he might suffer Ahkos' grandstanding, even enjoy it to a degree, but not now.
Ahkos' arms lowered, and the playacted smile dropped. "I don't even warrant a 'hello?'"
"Where is she?" he repeated, his eyes narrowed, tone offering no nonsense. The air chilled, twinkling with ice ether around him.
"Straight to the point, I see." He muttered, "So much for keeping it quiet." Sighing, he straightened his lenses. "I suppose there wasn't much point in keeping it a secret. They're gone."
"Why?"
"Why do you care?" Jin's eyes rounded on Ahkos' infernal Blade, who stood perched precariously on the edge of the hole the Aegis had created in the docking area, yet to be fixed. "Worried?"
Jin glared.
She stuck her tongue out at him.
Ahkos stepped up closer, shaking his head as he started circling around Jin. "You're fulfilling quite the cliché right now. The hero's loved one, once thought dead, is now back alive. However he's not the same man she left. In fact, he might even be the villain. But oh," he threw back his arm and head, dramatically swooning, "how she doesn't want to think that."
"Stop," he whispered.
The Blade copied Ahkos' swooning motion in the background, giggling to herself. Ahkos pressed on. "And ohhow much he doesn't want her to know what he's become." Ahkos stopped circling in front of him, starting directly into his eyes. "But you see, lies never hold up, Jin."
"Liar, liar!" his Blade parroted.
"Enough!"
Ahkos stepped back at the sudden chill in the air, raising an eyebrow. "My script aside, your precious Driver is back now. All your twisted hopes and dreams are fulfilled, right? Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"
"It…" He averted his eyes. The words cut through, and the blizzard in his head began building. Her heart thumped louder in his ears. He had wanted this. Yearned for it; every day looking back, hoping. Knowing it would never happen. And yet…
Live for her.
Ahkos put his arms up in a wide, somehow smug-looking shrug. "And so you're all done, now. This is the end of your precious Torna all because one person might not agree with your actions."
"That's not-"
"Are you going to pretend that the past five-hundred years never happened?" Ahkos pressed.
His hand clenched. "No."
He could never.
Fulfil Malos' ambition.
"But you're no longer certain, anymore. Malos said it best already, Jin. As things stand, you can't have both. Sooner or later, you're going to have to choose. With that pale imitation of the Aegis' light with her, there's no telling how much longer you have before the decision is made for you."
Had Ahkos been eavesdropping on that conversation?
"She watches her like an ansel!" Obrona called, spreading her wing-like appendages in emphasis.
"I need to talk to her." There was more than that. He wanted to be with her, he wanted to see her smile, wanted to feel with her. To make new memories. Five centuries of staring at something he thought he knew would never happen was killing him inside now that it had.
"Why not find her then?" Ahkos waved his hand dismissively in the air. "Even if we both know the outcome already."
"Will you locate her?" he asked in spite of it.
Ahkos shook his head, disappointedly. "The things I put up with. Obrona, if you will."
Motes of light appeared in the air near the Blade, overlaying together as she used her ability. The lights consolidated into a golden representation of Mor Ardain, with blue lights popping up all over it, mostly densely concentrated on the left shoulder of the Titan. After a moment, all the lights disappeared, save five. Three, an emerald, red and blue light were huddled together, while the other two blue ones were going towards the others.
Ahkos pointed to the red light in the cluster of three. "As you can see, she's currently with Nia in the Ardainian capital. Mikhail," he gestured to the other two, "is close by, likely getting repair parts for," he gestured pointedly to the big hole his Blade was still perching over, "that."
He could trust Mikhail to keep her safe with Nia. Even so, Lora's heart hammered in his chest with worry. "Is Lora really fit to be up and about?" His mind flashed back to the state she'd been in when she'd first awoken.
"The leading lady is fine." Ahkos chuckled. "I dare say that if she's well enough to kick a chair at Malos when she hears the sound of his dulcet tones, she's well enough to walk around." He raised an eyebrow. "Can't be two minutes without her?"
"That's not it." If she was hurt, if she...if she died again and he wasn't there to stop it even with his newfound abilities…
Nothing would matter anymore. He would never be able to forgive himself if that happened.
"Well, if it reassures you, Malos is watching from the shadows as you asked, and the flame of his illustrious partner is with her. She will be fine. Even if you don't go after her."
So Ahkos had heard that conversation. Even so, it made him feel a little better knowing that Malos was doing as he asked, but it didn't change what he had to do.
"So, you're in quite a position right now, Jin," Ahkos mused, "and the paths laid out in front of you are many. What do you plan to do?"
He stormed back towards the Monoceres in answer.
"Do be careful," Ahkos called from behind him, tone serious, yet with a hint of real warmth. "I mean it when I say I don't want to be the one scraping your dead body off the floor. Torna wouldn't be the same without you."
He, stopped, turned and gave a subtle nod, acknowledging Ahkos' roundabout way of caring. As the docking ramp slammed closed, the blizzard in his head continued to rage on.
The inn was surrounded.
Curious late going onlookers - along with Mikhail and Cressidus - gathered near the military blockade that cut off access to the entrances and most of the street nearby. The majority of the onlookers looked to be foreign salvagers somewhere between being buzzed and sloshed, trying to see a good show.
He saw a few local Ardainians lingering, but most steered clear of the blockade, going in a different direction as though such things were either normal or not to be messed with.
It was bad news for Mikhail. With how determined Rex had looked, he highly doubted this wasn't related to little miss "I'm sorry I burned your home down." People like that kid had integrity to a fault, and did what they said they would. Still, it was a quick turnaround and Mikhail needed to know for sure that's why the army were there before he did something stupid.
Mikhail grabbed the first person he approached out of the gathered crowd in front of the blockade. "Hey, what's going on?"
The person turned out to be an Ardainian woman in salvager gear. Not too bad looking of a face either. She seemed shocked for a moment, then huffed, sloppily shaking his hand off her wrist.
"Heard tell that the Inquisitor passed by earlier." Her accent was definitely Ardainian, but her words were slurred. "Army made a big fuss 'bout it too. Not like I care, I'm jus' in the capitol 'cause of the bulge." She rubbed her head, then burped, netting him the smell of cheap Ardainian liquor.
Ah, she was drunk. Lovely.
"The Inquisitor?" If she was here, then he was likely in the right place. He doubted she'd come out personally this short of notice for much else. "You don't say?"
"I do say! I heard they've locked down the place because some high and mighty terrorists," she spat out that word,"were spotted." Her eyes turned confused as if she just figured out that was a weird thing to say to a stranger. "What's it to you asking a gal like me 'bout it?"
He humoured her. "I was staying there with some friends. We were going to meet up tonight." Which was true. Of course, they also happened to be said terrorists. Small details.
"Good luck even getting in there tonight. Hah!" Her eyes narrowed and she looked around, warily. "I heard the Aegis might be there too." She shouted that word, drawing a few confused and concerned looks. "I mean, why else would the high and mighty Inquisitor come herself?"
"Yup. Appreciate it, beautiful. You probably don't want to stick around. It might get messy if the Aegis is here."
She scoffed, and it turned into a hiccup. "I know that. I can take care of myself, thank you." She flipped her hair and staggered away. Another woman peeled herself out of the crowd and caught the drunk salvager before she stumbled. The sober woman shot him an apologetic look before steering her off.
He sighed. Salvager women were always so feisty. Drunk salvager women on the other hand were too unpredictable and definitely not his type. Not after last time.
"So what are we going to do, Mik?" Cressidus asked.
Bringing himself out of the memory of that fiasco, Mikhail chuckled, rolling his shoulder. "Oh, that's easy. There's something of a back way out on the top floor past a lovely set of hot springs. So we break through and escape with the damsels in distress in tow."
Tilting his head Cressidus put a big hand to his chin. "Dromarch's a girl?"
"What? No. That's...just. No."
"So the damsels in distress and Dromarch."
"Yeah, sure. We'll go with that, big guy. The damsels in distress and Dromarch."
"There…has to be some mistake here." Lora's mind flitted about, trying to figure out if there was any way out of this. Eyes flicking about, she caught a confusing sight lurking behind the boy - Rex. His face looked almost exactly like the Titan she remembered, but that core crystal… a Blade?
Those same piercing yellow eyes narrowed at the attention.
"A mistake, you say?"
She shook off the feeling of familiarity to focus on the task at hand. After a moment, she grasped on to Mikhail's cover story. "We're just a mercenary group on contract for some parts and we don't have the Aegis."
"Really now?" The dark-haired woman's voice was laced with sarcasm as she raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "I have a personal eyewitness to the voyage that uncovered the Aegis, correct, Rex?"
"Yeah." He nodded at Nia and Dromarch. "They're part of Torna that came on the expedition."
"He could be lying for all you know," Nia snapped.
"But you already confirmed it for us. You know Rex, he knows you. You're quite wanted."
Nia growled.
The woman smirked, turning back to Lora. "And if the woman with bright red hair were to take the poncho off, would we not find an emerald core crystal underneath?"
Lora pressed her lips in a thin line. So much for that. "And? So what if she is?"
"Thank you for confirming it for me." Flinching, Lora grit her teeth as the Special Inquisitor of Mor Ardain - since with that outfit, it had to be - bore her eyes into hers, smirking. "Are you her Driver?"
It was a simple question and yet with it came an unexpected weight. There would be no hiding it if she answered, and she suspected lying at this stage wouldn't help. Lora swallowed. The whole room seemed to hold its breath before she answered with conviction:
"I am."
"What is your name?"
Pointing rudely with one of her twin rings, Nia countered, "You first, lady! It's rude to ask without giving yours."
"It seems you do not understand the position you're in. As the Special Inquisitor of the Empire of Mor Ardain, under the jurisdiction the Emperor, I am here to capture and then find out the intentions of the organization of Torna and the Aegis in the capital."
Nia huffed, gesturing to the soldiers around them. "You've got a bloody fine way of showing it."
"Given both of your histories and current circumstances, such precautions are necessary. I'm simply showing a courtesy by allowing you to explain yourself first."
Nia growled in frustration, muttering, "I hate people like her."
"If none of you are forthcoming, I will start." Her brown eyes flicked to Nia. "You are Nia, a Gormotti Driver and part of the organization of Torna." Her eyes flicked to Dromarch "Your Blade, Dromarch was last registered to the Gormotti noble house of Echell in Torigoth nearly ten years ago, before the head and his daughter died under 'extenuating circumstances.'"
Ears flattening, Nia practically growled out, "What's that got to do with anything? And why'd you ask if you already knew, eh?"
"She's trying to put us into a disadvantageous position, and make us think she knows more than she does," Dromarch muttered quietly. "Though it is most unsettling how accurate that information is."
The Inquisitor's eyes flicked to Pyra. "The Aegis, I dare say, needs no introduction. Her reputation precedes her." Finally, they flicked back to Lora. "But you are an enigma."
"My name is Lora."
"Lora." It almost sounded like she was testing the name out. "I am glad you are more cooperative than your companions, even if it does not excuse your actions."
"What have I done to the empire?"
"You resonated with the most powerful Blade on Alrest. And if this wasn't worrying enough, you are associating with members of a dangerous organization wanted for the deaths of hundreds of innocents. Even considering the Aegis' past actions, I have to wonder, why?"
Innocents? No, surely not…
"What do you mean, lady?" Nia asked.
Lora saw the Inquisitor raise a dangerous eyebrow. "Are you telling me you don't know what the Aegis is, what she has done?"
"Her name is Pyra," Lora interjected before an irritated Nia could escalate things in a bad way. "Stop talking about her like she isn't here." Lora crossed her arms. "And I do know what she's done. Do you?"
The Inquisitor scowled. "Very well." She turned to address Pyra directly who looked solemn. "History has mixed feelings about you, Aegis, speaking kindly about you in one breath and in the next condemning you. But this I do know. Three great Titan nations, banished forever beneath the cloud sea, countless other smaller ones sunk, others like the poisonous wastelands of the Judician Titan, ravished beyond stable living conditions."
"Hold on." Narrowing her eyes, Lora almost took a step forward, but thought better of it when the soldiers in front of her threateningly pointed weapons towards her head. "That wasn't all her. Most of that was because of Malos."
"Malos?" The Inquisitor's eyes darted briefly over to Rex. "Is the organization of Torna so divided that you pin the casualties of the Aegis war on your fellow terrorist?"
Lora blinked in confusion. "Fellow terrorist…?"
"I suppose next you'll be putting the blame of the death of the then Emperor Hugo Ardanach on him?"
Lora sputtered in confusion. "How could you not know who Malos is? All the destruction you were talking about? Besides the Tornan Titan, that was him, not Pyra! She worked hard to stop him!"
"The Aegis told you this?"
"No, it should be common knowledge!"
"Interesting." Her eyes were calculating. "Part of me wishes to say you're lying, and yet you say this with such conviction, and I can't help but wonder…how."
Spreading her hands wide in frustration, Lora shouted, "Because I was there!"
There was silence. Or as much silence as there could be with this many people in the room. On those faces she could see, confusion was the most prevalent expression and others like she was crazy.
For a moment she thought she heard something of a ruckus from outside, a distant scream mixed with laughter from outside. What was that?
"Hmph. Preposterous."
"What?" She turned to Brighid, who had spoken. "No." Lora's hand hovered over her shared core. "It's true-"
"No human can live that long," Brighid pointed accusingly with one of her whipswords, eyebrows narrowing, "and you certainly don't look Indonline. If I had to guess from your eyes, you would be a Leftherian. Unless…are you a flesh eater Blade?"
Why would her eyes indicate that she was Leftherian? She shook her head. "No, I'm human. I was born in the outskirts of the Tornan Titan."
"Which nation sank beneath the clouds five hundred years ago," the Inquisitor calmly pointed out.
"I know. I watched it sink. It was...horrible." She looked to the jewel of Mor Ardain. "You were there with me in the Aegis war, Brighid. I fought alongside you with Hugo and Addam against Malos."
"The Hero Addam?" Brighid scoffed. "Lady Mòrag, she is clearly lying. I would have written about her in my journal if she had fought alongside him. There is no trace of a 'Lora' there."
"...What?" She hadn't written a thing about her?
...Really?
That hurt more than the accusations being flung around.
"Whether her claims to her origins are true or not, Brighid, one pressing question rises above all others." The Inquisitor - Mòrag - hadn't lost a bit of her composure. She turned once again to Pyra. "What do you seek, Aegis?"
Pyra spoke for the first time, voice firm. "Elysium."
There was a small gasp from Rex. "Elysium? You're going to-"
"The fairy tale?" Mòrag cut him off, raising her hand to silence him. Rex looked miffed, gritting his teeth, and the Blade whose face was a dead ringer for Azurda laid a careful hand on his shoulder. "The supposedly great land atop the World Tree where religious dogma and legend state the Architect cast our ancient ancestors out?"
Pyra nodded. "It's real. I've been there. I was...born there."
"I suppose if there were any who knew, it would be the Architect's Blade," she mused. "To what aim do you seek it?"
Pyra didn't answer, and after a moment, Lora looked over to see her averting her eyes.
"I see. You do not wish to tell me. No matter. That will come in time." She turned back to Nia. "And what of Torna?"
Nia hissed, drawing the ire of the surrounding soldiers. "That's none of your business, is it? Besides, you'll just chuck us in the slammer no matter what we say."
"Hold." The Inquisitor held a hand as the soldiers surrounding them hefted their weapons at the Gormotti girl. "I only seek answers for your actions that have cost lives. I will have those answers, whether here or later. If you won't be forthcoming then-"
Mòrag cut off as the ground shook violently for a moment, making Lora and everyone else stumble. After it stopped, the Inquisitor quickly ordered one of the soldiers to break off, and see what was happening. The ground shook again, even more violently this time, knocking over a few drinks on the tables.
The inquisitor stood this time after the shaking subsided, glaring coolly at them. "Is this your doing?"
Nia crossed her arms, still holding onto her twin rings. "Haven't got a clue. Didn't you know everything? Or can you not take it when you don't know what's going on, hmm?"
The ground shook again, and this time Lora clearly heard the screams of people outside.
"We will continue this at another time," Mòrag gestured at the Drivers surrounding her. "Take them into custody while I-"
"OH YEAH!"
With a deafening crash, the wall nearest the stairs exploded inwards.
Lora raised her arms to shield her eyes from the blast. Large stone chunks pinged off what must have been Pyra's ether barrier. There were meaty sounding thunks, followed by cries of pain and surprise. She couldn't see for the dust, but gunfire sounded, mixed with the clashing of weapons.
"Lora!"
That was the sound of Mikhail's voice in front of her. She felt a large hand grab her arm, and almost punched them until she realized it was just Cressidus steering her out of the way. She felt Pyra's affinity link flare to life, and suddenly everything seemed clearer as she lent her strength.
Knocked from the stairs by Mikhail's entrance, Brighid's thin whipswords whirled about in a vicious duel with Pyra, who'd finally formed her sword. Mikhail was laughing, busy being the centre of attention, the majority of the gunfire drawn towards a massive circular shield spread from his connected gauntlets. To the side, Nia tossed her twin rings at others, carefully picking them off.
This...this wasn't what she wanted to happen at all.
"Secure the exits!" Mòrag threw an arm commandingly forward. "Don't let the Aegis escape!"
The call to order from Mòrag made more than just Lora refocus. The boy, Rex, had drawn his own Blade's weapon - a greatsword with a startlingly familiar design as its core - his gaze confused and angry at Mikhail as the dust settled enough to see clearer. He looked hesitant to attack.
A different Ardainian Driver wielding a megalance moved to attack her. On instinct, she weaved around the lance's jabs that were punctuated with wind ether and grabbed the shaft below the weapon's blade. With a heated surge from Pyra's link, she wrenched it from the Driver's grip and threw the weapon at his Blade.
Even though the Blade didn't seem to expect it, they did duck at the last moment. The weapon sailed past them through the hole Mikhail had burst through.
The soldier took the relief of his weapon well. Redirecting her follow up roundhouse kick aimed at his neck downward with his gauntlet, the Driver drew an Ardainian steel knife with his other hand. She hopped back, raising her left bracer and winced at the sound of metal scraping across it as it took the brunt of the knife swing.
Grabbing his wrist with the other hand, they struggled briefly until she elbowed him in the helmet, allowing her to wrench the knife from him. Side-kicking, she pushed the Driver back into their Blade, knocking them over into a pile. She backed up and threw the knife away.
Even if they wouldn't hold back, this didn't feel right hurting what had once been Hugo's soldiers.
"Lora!" Mikhail called again, still holding off the other Drivers coming his way, unable to get around Mikhail's gauntlet shield. "Help the Aegis drive back the crazy blue hair-fire so we can get to the stairs!
"But-"
He weaved around another strike and knocked another Driver out. "I don't think they're interested in talking!" Behind him, Cressidus had formed a small boulder out of the ether and tossed it into the chaos, forcing a temporary retreat. "Retreat to the stairs before they bring in more and we're stuck!"
"What he said!" Nia called, already running in that direction with Dromarch, driving off other soldiers.
She could see that was true, but the thought of fighting against a former comrade still hurt. Gritting her teeth, Lora twirled and snapped her braided whip over towards Pyra's continuing duel with Brighid. It snagged the left whipsword and with a twist, ice exploded out, freezing the raised whipsword to the ceiling.
Brighid looked momentarily surprised, but quickly regained her composure and let go of the sword frozen to the ceiling, jumping back to avoid Pyra's next strike.
"Pyra, let's go!" Lora called.
"Got it!"
Lora rushed forward, taking Pyra's sword, their affinity link flaring as Lora slammed the sword down, fire flying out in multiple waves. Brighid dispersed one, and blocked the others with her ether shield. The attacks did their job, driving Brighid back enough to allow time for Lora and Pyra to retreat, ducking behind Mikhail and Cressidus' shield near the bottom of the stairs.
Past Mikhail, she saw Brighid had given Mòrag her free whipsword for her own, and watched as the Inquisitor slashed it across the ice holding the other to the ceiling, dropping it into her hand.
"Do you have a plan now, Mik?" Nia snapped.
"Up the stairs."
"Are you kidding? The only thing out up there is the hot springs. What are-"
"Not in the mood right now; just trust me and go!" Mikhail finally dispersed the shield and slammed the gauntlets in an uppercut into the ceiling, collapsing a part of it in front of them, scattering more dust and debris. "Now!"
As they went, Lora glanced back. Through the dust she caught a glimpse of Mòrag, eyes cool and calm despite the chaos, Brighid right behind her. And the boy, Rex, with a fire in his eyes that were the same colour as hers.
Mikhail was part of Torna. Rex had literally just accepted another job from Torna to help them out.
Again.
The dust from Mikhail collapsing part of the ceiling hadn't even settled. Adjusting his grip on Azurda's greatsword, he started running after them.
"Don't, Rex."
He stopped, angrily rounding on Mòrag. "They're escaping, Mòrag!" He forgot to use her stinkin' title but didn't care. "If we don't go after them now then-"
Then would he ever be able to find out more about Elysium? About why Torna did what they did?
"There will be other opportunities. This engagement was already informative enough, especially with such short notice." Dust fell as another rumble shook the inn. Were they collapsing more of the stairs to cover their escape? "I do not wish to force the Aegis Pyra into a corner and risk more casualties."
"But we have a chance right now to stop them. What if-"
"We have more to think of than just ourselves."
"Rex…" Azurda's voice was tinged with warning. His fingers tightened on the hilt of the greatsword. Why did he have to sound so much like Gramps?
Gritting his teeth, he dashed toward the stairs.
"Come back here, Rex; that's an order!"
He felt Azurda follow behind him, and drawing on his Blade's power, Rex leapt the gap in the stairs and started running, ignoring Brighid's shout of warning as well.
"Was that wise, Rex?" Azurda asked.
He already knew the answer to that. "I just have to know why. And if that girl Pyra really does know about Elysium…" He let that hang. "Are you with me?"
He heard Azurda rumble out a sigh. "Of course."
The last flight of stairs was completely destroyed, and he felt Azurda brace him with another surge of power to leap up the next floor. The door to the outside laying broken off its hinges, and they rushed past it.
Gunfire died out as he paused in the men's changing room situated before the open air hot springs. He carefully peeked out, taking in the scene. The area was relatively small. Stone both natural and laid by human hands surrounded the steaming pool of water, enough that one could comfortably walk around it. To left side, another building, to the right it led to a drop that went back into the city.
The few guards stationed up here only had one Driver and Blade in their group. He watched the Driver of the Aegis, Lora, kick the Driver hard enough that he collapsed just as Mikhail grabbed the Blade with his massive gauntlets and tossed them off the cliff down into the city.
Azurda's massive stony hand landed on his shoulder, murmuring quietly. "I know you want answers, Rex, but I still don't believe this is a good idea. We're outclassed in both experience and numbers."
"I get it, but I have to know. Back me up."
He let out a long suffering sigh. "Very well."
Hefting Azurda's greatsword, he channelled the funnelled ether from Azurda into the sword and felt heat and flame build up until the end separated, a raging fireball ready. He ducked out of cover and pointed the blazing fireball at them.
Nia's Blade, Dromarch, shouted a warning as it spat out the end of it, hurtling above them in their general direction. He meant it only as a warning shot. Hopefully just a warning shot.
To his surprise, Lora quickly dashed in front of the flame, and with the Aegis' sword, cleaved the fireball in two, the flames splattering harmlessly on the rock behind them leaving scorch marks.
"Well, well," he saw Mikhail smirk as he faced him. "You caught up quick."
"No thanks to you." He glared at him. "I thought I could trust you and yet...you're part of Torna as well?"
"Is it really not obvious at this point?" Mikhail gestured to Lora and Nia on either side of him. "Read the signs, kiddo."
"Then what were you playing at, impersonating a salvager?" Rex demanded.
"Who said I was impersonating anything?" There was something almost…mocking in his tone that just irked Rex. He meant to ask Lora and Pyra about Elysium, but…
Something in him snapped.
Eyes flashing, Rex yelled as he charged forward, feinted slashing down, expecting Mikhail to raise the gauntlets into a shield like he had downstairs earlier and then he would roll around it. Instead, Mikhail caught Rex's blade in one of those huge gauntlets into an iron grip.
Eyes widening, Rex tried and failed to wrench the sword away to no avail, even when he drew in more power from Azurda. "What the-!"
"You're so predictable."
Before Rex could react, Azurda's sword, and him attached to it were thrown, tossed aside into the building. He yelled in pain as his back slammed into the stone, knocking the wind out of him. Wheezing, his hand reflexively let go of the weapon. It clattered to the ground as he desperately tried to suck in air.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Azurda dash by and grab the greatsword, followed by the sound of metal clashing against metal. Protecting him. Distantly past the pounding of his heart in his ears, he heard the Aegis - no Pyra - gasp out, "Azurda, is that really...?"
"I came from that Titan, but I am not him!"
"Sounds like a touchy subject." That was Mikhail. The sound of another brief struggle, as he wheezed in tiny bits of air. He looked up just in time to see Cressidus leap over Mikhail. As one, Mikhail stepped back, tossing those gauntlets to Cressidus in time for him to slam both into Azurda's raised ether shield, which shattered, pounding Azurda into the ground.
"Too bad I don't care."
He wanted to scream, but he couldn't breathe. Black tinged the edges of his vision. He pounded his ribs. C'mon!
With a struggle, he violently coughed and heaved the air back in.
Just then, an even greater heat than the hot springs leaped into the area, followed by angry blue flames leaping up in a wall, sealing them all off in an arena. He looked up to see the inquisitor stalk forward, Brighid's whipswords blazing in her hands.
Despite having only met the Inquisitor today, Nia had already had more than enough of her.
But Mik, fresh off of pounding Rex's Blade to the ground, still let out a low appreciative sounding whistle. "I guess Azurda was right. She really does burn bright, doesn't she?"
"Really? Now?"
"Probably won't get a chance to admire it later." She elbowed him, but he just laughed. "Nia, Lora; buy Cressidus and me some time. I'll secure our escape route."
Without bothering to wait for an answer, just like that, Cressidus picked him up and heaved him over the walls of the raging inferno of an arena, Cressidus following as a pillar of earth launched himself towards his Driver. Just her, Lora, Pyra, Dromarch and the strongest Driver in Mor Ardain.
Great.
Sure, Pyra was the Aegis, but just leaving like that? Ugh. "Easy for you to say," Nia mumbled, shifting her grip on the twin rings. "What's the plan, Lora?"
"Stall if we can. I don't want to fight anymore if we don't have to, but at this point..."
The chances of that happening were about as short as Rex.
"So." That high and mighty inquisi-whatever called across the hot spring. "I see you have no intention of surrendering peacefully."
Nia growled. "It's not like you gave us much choice. How else do you expect someone to react when you surround them with soldiers and fling all those accusations around?"
"I simply seek the truth."
"I already told you the truth," Lora called, "but you weren't listening."
"History-" Mòrag began.
"Is written by the winners," Pyra cut in. "I did sink old Torna, Lora's home. But it seems like the details were lost while I was sealed away."
Nia got twitchy as Mòrag's eyes narrowed, and she could practically feel the temperature rise with the flames. "Even if that is true, it does not excuse the deaths you and Torna have caused. For the sake of my people, for the sake of Alrest, I must do all I can to ensure no one else dies. This is your last chance. Surrender peacefully."
Lora took up Pyra's sword in a stance almost exactly mirroring Jin's. Nia took that as an answer and huffed. "Do you really expect us to just give up after all that?"
She had the gall to look disappointed. "Very well." She dashed forward around the spring on the side closest to Lora.
Rushing to meet her, Lora began with a wide upward slash, echoed with a wave of fire. The inquisitor calmly broke through the fire with her left sword, met Lora's strike with the right, deflecting the blow while the other moved to strike.
Lora seemed to anticipate it and jumped over the low swing in time to block the swing of the other. Blow after blow was traded - Mòrag all precision and discipline while Lora flowed through her strikes as though she'd sparred with her for years. Even when Mòrag's swords separated into longer whips, neither of the combatants gained an inch.
Lora whirled back, grinned, and in a feat that had Nia's eyebrow's raising, flipped back, landed on Pyra's raised ether barrier and sprung off, curling in her legs as she sailed over the inquisi-whatever. Mid-air, she blocked a strike from Mòrag collapsed whipsword as she sailed towards the crazy hair fire of a Blade.
Said crazy hair fire seemed mildly surprised and raised her ether barrier to block a follow up kick from Lora. Lora landed in a brief crouch on the shield before launching herself off away from Brighid, tossing Pyra's blade back to her before she rolled back to her feet.
Pyra whirled forward, fire raging, putting the inquisitor on the backstep, allowing an opening for Lora's totally-not-just-a-rope braid to snag around one of the whipswords. Mòrag quickly let go of the sword to counter the follow up from Pyra. Pyra leapt back to avoid and tossed the sword back to Lora, now on solid ground, who started attacking from the back.
"Impressive," Dromarch remarked.
"No kidding." Lora was good, in a way that spoke of years of fighting. She'd seem something of it when they fought the Queen Arachno, but seeing her up against a Driver and Blade was something else. Only thing was that the inquisitor lady was keeping up.
Nia held back, unsure of exactly how to help in the situation. With how small the area not covered by water was, it was difficult to try and step into the fray without being worried about being knocked into the water.
Wait…
Despite the seriousness of the situation, a cheeky grin snuck its way onto her face. She called out, "Dromarch, the water, let's-"
"My lady, look out!"
Eyes widening, she flattened her ears and ducked the broad swing of the boy, Rex, and just barely angled Dromarch's twin rings enough that the next skimmed off the ether of the weapons.
When had he gotten up? Even if she didn't necessarily like it, she'd thought Mik clobbering him and Azurda would have had them down for the count.
"I just don't get it!" he yelled. Flames bathed the greatsword and he slashed it up in a wide arc, nearly making her trip in her haste to avoid it.
"What?"
"You saw what happened to the Maelstrom!" Another swing, another dodge back. "You watched those salvagers die and did nothing!" She jumped back again, now out of room to manoeuvre. "Why would you want to stay with a bunch of psychopaths?"
Psychos?
"As soon as you stop hiding, you'll understand what I mean."
"Heh. You're stronger then you're letting on, aren't you? I like that."
"Well said, Nia. I'll have you know that the rest of us feel much the same way."
"And here I thought you'd be forever aloof. Welcome to Torna, Nia; the greatest bunch of miserable misfits you'll ever find in Alrest."
"Because. You're just like me."
Psychos?
Something welled up in her.
Nia growled. "Those 'psychopaths' happen to be the closest thing to a real family I have!" She blocked his next strike with both her twin rings, and held it in a lock. "So what if they've done horrible things? You don't know what they, what I've been through. At least I can be who I am with them!"
"That doesn't make any sense! What are you talking about?"
"So what if it doesn't? What would you and your stupid idealistic nonsense know about pain?" Beside them, there was a bubbling in the spring. Dromarch roared, and a small geyser blasted into Rex, dousing the flames on his sword. She pressed the advantage, weaving in water ether into her strikes.
He started desperately blocking. "I know plenty. But that doesn't mean I go around killing people because I'm hurting."
"But you left those salvagers behind on that ancient ship." She could tell he was drawing too much from his Blade. For all that he was a good fighter, he wasn't a good Driver. He relied too much on his own strength, not bothering to fight in sync with his Blade. "You ran to save your own skin and you're endangering others by chasing after us."
"That's different! I'm here because I have to know the truth about Elysium."
"Who cares about that? It won't fix anything!" Her own affinity link with Dromarch surged and guided by his waves of water, she chucked the twin rings, once, twice, making Rex and Azurda teeter on the edge of the hot spring. "Humans would be just as horrible with it as without it!"
His Blade blocked the next strike with his ether barrier, but it didn't matter. The strike knocked Rex and Azurda backwards into the hot spring. With a look to Dromarch, she tossed him his twin rings, which hovered on an ether tether in front of him With a powerful roar, the gathered water ether blew up in a geyser, launching Rex and his Blade out of the spring.
They rolled to a stop, just outside the changing rooms and Rex didn't move.
Sliding under a multitude of fireballs from Brighid, Lora launched into a feinting snap kick at Mòrag, attempting to drive her back into the hot spring. Mòrag didn't even flinch as Brighid's ether barrier rose, blocking the strike.
Brighid came forward, and Lora backhandspringed away from the retaliating strike, Pyra moving in to cover for her, blocking Brighid's follow up strike. A small contest of strength ensued, before. Pyra disengaged, twirling around another swing from Brighid and handing Lora the sword. She drove Brighid back while Pyra supplied greater power.
Leaping back - still carefully avoiding the hot spring - Brighid tossed her swords back which Mòrag caught with ease. The Inquisitor eyed her and Pyra. "Impressive. Though your fighting style is somewhat unusual, your skill is just what I'd expect from the Aegis and her Driver."
It had been a surprise to see how Mòrag fought. The style of tossing Brighid's weapons back and forth - had her and Jin's style made that much of an impact as to be passed down like that?
Lora took a little bit of satisfaction that Mòrag's breathing was harder. Then again, Lora was as well. "You and Brighid are pretty good too."
"Hmph. And yet I can't help but feel you're holding back somehow."
They eyed each other another moment, the flaming arena crackling around them. There was a yell from where earlier Lora had noticed Rex rise up and start fighting Nia. She glanced over and caught sight of Rex and the Azurda look-alike being blasted out of the hot spring, tumbling to a stop just outside the changing rooms.
"Make way!"
She whipped her head towards the sound of Cressidus' voice, and her eyes widened as part of the cliff above the hot spring cracked, then busted outward. Cressidus came quickly after, surfing down on the rockslide. Lora and Mòrag jumped away from each other, the rockslide forcing both to back away or be crushed by the rocks. Dust and debris flew up and she reflexively covered her eyes.
When she peeked out after a moment, Mikhail had appeared, holding the inquisitor by the neck. After a moment, he chucked her with her Blade's weapons into the hot spring. Brighid roared in indignation, flames flaring, moments before Dromarch body slammed her into the cliff, dazing her.
"That was way more satisfying than it should be." Nia grinned from Dromarch's back and the tiger Blade groaned and shook his head.
"They won't stay down long." Mik jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the makeshift way up the rockslide. "Ladies and Dromarch first."
That was their way out, she supposed. Lora turned back to look at Rex's Blade, seeing his piercing yellow eyes glare at her, hovering protectively over his unconscious Driver.
She saw Nia's grin dip for a second as she looked back to Rex. Lora heard her whisper, "Maybe if things were different, it wouldn't have come to this."
They scrambled up the rocks.
Mòrag surfaced, hands gripping Brighid's whipswords. Wiping the water from her eyes, she watched as Torna and the Aegis fled quickly up the rockslide.
"Lady Mòrag, are you alright?" Beside the spring - though very definitely not in it - Brighid extended a hand.
"I will be fine, Brighid." She carefully got her footing, head and shoulders above the hot water, and took the offered hand from Brighid. "Thankfully, naught but my pride was hurt."
Water sloshed off of her drenched uniform and hair as she was lifted from the spring, her clothes clinging in an uncomfortably warm and wet way. After fussing a moment, Brighid gazed towards the escaping members of Torna. "They're heading towards a nearby cargo line. Should we give chase?"
"No. I do not believe that would be wise at this point." She looked to her left where Rex lay unconscious just outside the changing rooms, his Blade hovering concernedly beside him. The fact his Blade was still there was proof he was alive. "Relay an order to the operators to shut down the cargo line to the main factory. We may not be able to stop their escape, but we will do what we can to hinder them and stop them from damaging the main factory."
"Of course." Brigid nodded, moving to comply.
With a nod of satisfaction, Mòrag turned back to the cargo line and distantly, she caught a last glimpse of the six escaping members of Torna, growing smaller by the moment on a metal cargo box. She could almost make out the Driver of the Aegis, Lora, holding the Aegis' sword.
The battle had been thrilling, but also strange. Lora had seemed to anticipate her forms and battle style, things that were only taught to the emperor, or in her case, Brighid's Driver. So how would she have known that?
Unless…
But that claim was ridiculous. Brighid was right. No human could live that long.
"Inquisitor?"
The voice of Azurda brought her out of her reverie back to the matter of Rex. She looked him square in the eyes. "Azurda. You did well to support your Driver, even in his insubordination. Loyalty in a Blade to their Driver is essential for a quality resonance. However, the matter remains that Rex disobeyed a direct order."
The stony Blade bowed his head.
A long moment passed.
She sighed. "Take him to healers on standby outside of the inn, and if needed, to the base's medical facility. Once he is conscious, he and I will talk."
Wind whipped past Lora, making her hair flutter as she as the cargo container kept on towards its destination. It was a tight fit with all six of them crouched on top of it.
Glancing back at the increasingly smaller form of the hot springs and the new Special Inquisitor of Mor Ardain, and pang went through the memory of her heart. Had she done the right thing? Even if she didn't want to be caught, would running really help?
Her mind whirled like the wind rustling past her, and the answer didn't come.
A/N: And with the obligatory hot springs scene out of the way, the story can continue.